Convertible chair



J. J. SOUTH.

- CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.3,0, 1912.

Patented July fi, WW.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IN'VENTOFE WITNESSES ATTORNEY J. 1. SOUTH, CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.30. 1917. 1,345,513,, Patentedl July mm.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- r initis. n

To attach/m it may concern:

Specification of Letters Patent.

JERUME SOUTH, (ll-i NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

cenvnn'rietn ciii-ii'ia.

U Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,662.

lie it known that l Jiiiio vin J. SOUTH, a CllJlZell of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and tltate ct 'llennessee, have. invented a new and. useful Convertible Chair, of which the :tollowingisa specification.

This inventionhas l reference to convert ltn accordance with theinvention there is a stool portion provided with a seat which may or may not be permanently fast to the stool portion, and such stool portion has 211111 lt-BStSdiOlWllllO. arms of the user while supportedby the seat. There is also pro videil a table top hinged or pivoted below thearin rests oi the stool, so that it may be moved. and held in either the chairback positionor in the table .positioin in which latter position the chztiifll'nich is approximatcly level, as is necessary for table iise.

Thechairlmck part of the convertible chair is hinged to rails forming parts oi the arms oi? the stool portion, and lo- Eltl cated between the :arm rests and seat in such manner as to be readily detached when desirable foimshi'pping or storage or other purposes, but will not become accidentally detached inthe. ordinary use of the convertible jchaiinin either the chair position or the table position. This permits the cha r to he moved about or lifted without the partsbecomingseparated. lhe axis of thejhinge 3 connection so located that. in either position of the chair back the chair remains balanced, that is, the chair back when in the table-top position is midway oi? the stool part, and when in the chair-back pUSll'ilGIl is so low and so close to the stool portion; although at a convenient inclina tion, that there is no danger of the chair t pping over bacliwardly even if the user desired to recline to a greater extent than the natural incline oi the chair back.

in addition to a hinge structure peculiar to the convertihle chair and acting as a stop and support for the chair back, there is also an automatic lock preventing unintentional.

movement of the chair back from the table position toward thechair back position.

The invention will be best understood from a. consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of changed andmodified so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

in the drawings i Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the convertible chairin the chair position.

Fig. Qis a rear perspective view of the chair; of Fig. 1 with the chair back in the table-top position.

Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the chair of Fig. 1 with the chair back and seat removed from their normal positions to better.

show some features oi the chair.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation of. a portion of.

the chair in the chair position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view: with the chair back in the table top position.

F i g. 6 is a detailisection through one side hf the chair and a portion oi? the chair seat, with the latter reversed from the showing oi Fig. 1. p

l ig. '4' is a perspectiveview of the seat part oi. the steel of the chair with the upper persons oi the legs in section, and showing a somewhat different arrangement of seat from the' showing of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the stool arranged for a movable cushion seat.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but with the cushion omitted.

F 'lOis a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 5.

Patented July 6,1592%.

Fig. 12 a detail section on the line 12-.-

l2 otl' Fig. 5 withthe chair leg shown in elevation and the leg-connecting rail in section.

Fig.13 is a face view of that member of the hinge carried by a rail of the stool.

Fig. 145 is a face view of that member of the hinge carried by the chair back.

F 15 is a perspective view of the supporting plate for a stop member carried by the chair stool. i

Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are sectional views 01 the hinge or pivot structure showing differ- .ent operative positions of the movable memher with respect to the fixedmember thereof.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a convertible chair comprising a stool A and a back vl3, which latter when moved into appropriate position serves as a table top. p

The stool A is shown as composed of four leg members 1 with connecting rails 2 constituting a box frame,into and out of which is movable a drawer 3, having a face memher 4 matching the finish of the box memher, so that when the drawer is pushed in it is effectively hidden and may be used for storage purposes.

The legs 1 rise considerably above the box member 2, and these legs are connected at their tops by arm rests 5 at a convenient height for the occupant of the chair.

1 Belowthe arm rests and above the box 2 pear.

the legs are connected by rails 6 not only stiffening the parts they connect,- but serving another purpose which will presently ap- There is also provided a chair bottom 7 which may be made'of a single piece of wood of. suitablesize to fit into the boxframe made up of'therails 2. Applied to 7 the edges of the blocker board 7 are strips 8providing ledges to support the chair seat upon the-upper edges of the rails 52. These strips are relatively narrow as compared 7 with the thickness of the board 7 constitut ing the body of the chair seat, so that the chair'seat may be reversed and in either po sition 7 project somewhat above the top of '7 the railsr2. One'face of the board 7 may beplain, while the other face has fast thereto a covering 9 inclosing some more or less elastic material constituting a cushion for the face of the board 7 carrying the covering 9.

In this manner the chair seat may be so r located in the box made up of the rails 2 that when the device is used as a chair the seatis of a cushion nature, but when the de vice is used as a table the plain portion of the board 7 may be uppermost and constitute a shelf. In'Fig. 1 the seat '7 is shown with the cushion side up and in Fig. 2 with 1 the plain side up.

side and near opposite edges are arms or brackets 12, these arms each being of bowed or U shape with the free ends of the legs of the U made fast to the cushion side of the board 10 and the yokes of the U remote therefrom. The arms 12 are spread apart sufiiciently to embrace the arms 5 of the stool part of the chair and be located on the outsides of these arms, in close relation thereto, but preferably not in actual contact therewith, so as to avoid marring of the parts by rubbing together.

The yoke portion of each arm 12 is connected to a respective rail 6 of the stool part of the chair by hinges or pivot structures which may be of peculiar construction and which are best shown in Figs. 10, 11, 13

and 14. Each hinge or pivot structure comprises two members, one consisting of a plate 13 with a boss 14 projecting therefrom and provided with an axially extended headed lug '15 with the head of the lug spaced from the boss. The other member of the hinge or pivot structure comprises a plate 16 with a recess 17 entering one side thereof and bordered by an overhang flange 18 arranged to receive the lug 15 between the head thereof and the boss 14, so that when the two parts of the hinge or pivot structure are joined, the part or member provided with the plate 16 will turn on the lug 15 as a pivot, and yet, because of the head of the lug and the overhang flange 18, the two members of the hinge remain firmly secured together except when purposely disconnected by moving the recessed member of the hinge away from the lug member of the hinge.

That member of the hinge carrying the boss 14 is also provided with a projection or stop finger 19 on one side of the boss 14, and the recessed member of the hinge has a stop tooth 20 at one end of the overhang flange and outstanding therefrom so that when one member of the hinge is turned on the other member the tooth 20 engages the projection 19 and thereby prevents a turning of the movable member of the hinge beyond a certain position.

The relation of the two parts of the hinge or pivot structure for the board 10, when the board is in the chair-back position, is shown in Fig. 17 where the projection 19 and the tooth 20 are in engagement, thereby preventing the hinge members from becommg separated when lifting the chair by the brackets, or when converting it from chair to table-top position or vice versa. The plate 13 of each hinge structure is made fast to the outer face of a corresponding rail 6 and the plate 16 of each hinge structure is made fast to the inner face of a corresponding arm 12.

The relation of the two parts of the two members of'each hinge structure, when the board 10 is in the table-top position inditttl . back. position.

mantle cated in Figs. 2 and 5, is shown in Fig. 18.

arms 12 be grasped whenthe board is inthe chair back positionthe projections 19 carry the stool portion of the chair and the chair may therefore be carried from place to place without any. possibility of the back and stool parts of thechair becom When the board 10 is in projection 19 lockthe flange 18; between them withoutany possibility of thetable top lifting away fromthe stool portion or the.

stool dropping when the device is lifted by the table top or is moved from place to place. lln order to disconnect the board 10 from the stool portion of the chair it is necessary to turn the board from the chair-back position toward the table-top position and at the same time lift it bodily, and when at a point about midway between the chair-back and table-top positions the flange 18 may beturned about the projection 19 as a pivot until the flange 18 is pulled away from the lug 15, which can then escape through the mouth of the recess 17 and the tooth 20 can then escape inv the space between the lug 15 and projection 19. The position of the parts, while this operation is taking place and just beforethe board 10 and hinge members attached to the stool part of the chair separate, isshownin Fig. 19. The

board 10 may be replaced onto the stool and the hinge members reassociated by a reverseof the movement resulting in the disconnection of the board 10 from the stool A.

The arms 12 are secured to the board or table top or back member 10 intermediate of the ends,.so.that the mid line of the arm is midway of the length of the board 10.

The hinge member provided with the plate 16 is, however, made fast to the respective arm 12 to 011651118 of such mid llne of the arm and nearer to the end of the chair back constituting the lower end thereof 1 in the chair back positionthan to the upper end thereof, and the slot or recess 17 is so situated that its mouth opens in a downward direction when the board 10 is in the chair- The hinge member carried by the plate 13 is secured to the corresponding. rail 6 nearer to what constitutes the back of the chair stool than to the front thereof, but is also nearer the mid-line of the stool than to the back thereof and the projection 19 is directedtoward the front of the stool. When the two hinge members of each pair are connected together and the board 10 is moved to the chair back position,

the tooth 20 engages the stop member 19 and the chair backis then in a moderately as. inclinedposition supported in the main by the hinge members with their engaged teeth 20 and stop members 19, while actual contact of the chair back with the. rear legs of the stool is prevented by buffers 21 on the inner face of the board 10 near what constitutes its lower end in the chair back position. Thesebuffers may be in the form of rubber buttons customarily used for the purpose.

By locating one member of each hinge or pivot structure to the rear side of the mid line of the arms 12,. but relatively close to such mid line, and by locating the other member of each hinge or pivot structure between the mid line of a rail 6 and the corresponding rear-leg of the chair stool, but also closer to the mid line than to the rear leg, the board 10 constituting either the chair back or the table top is centered from front to rear of the chair when used as a table top, and is given a properinclination and a low center of gravity when used as a chair back to avoid-overbalancing of the chair, and further permitting the user to recline to a greater extent than the natural incline of the chair back, if desired, without the chair being rendered top heavy and liable to easily fall over backward.

Secured to the inner face of each arm 12 near what constitutes the top of the board 10 in the chair back position, or the front end of the board in the table top position,

is a block 22 so situated. as to override the front end of the corresponding arm 5 close to the corresponding front leg 1 of the stool part of the convertible chair. The, end of the block 22 remotefrom the board 10 is provided with an engaging device 23, which may be in the form of a rubber buffer like the buffers 21 already referred to. The blocks 22 are of such length thatthe buffers 23 willengage the arms 5 and support the board 10 as a table top in a level position, the table top being further supported by the hinge connections with the rails 6 and the table top then projects equally beyond the front and rear legs of the stool part B corresponding to theblocks 22.

In order to hold the table top against a large portion thereof to produce shoulders accidental displacement when 1 in the table topposition, there is provided an automatic stop device comprising a: plate 2 1 made fast to one of the rearlegs of the stool near the 7 top thereof, but lower than the corresponding arm 5, the location being about on a level with a corresponding rail 6. 1 Pivoted at its lower end to the plate 24 near the lower end of the latter in the installed position of thechair is an approximately segother'st'op 29 which may be in the form of mental stop member or drop latch pro videdwith-fianges 26 about its edges, and having a peripheral portion 27 eecentrlc to the pivot support of the member 25, The plate 24; is provided with a lug 28 pro ecting therefrom toward the stop'member 25, so

"of the arms as the corresponding hinge member carried by the arm, but closer to the corresponding end of the table top or chairb ack 10 than the hinge member, is an a metallic strip having a bent portion 30 offset from the-inner face of the arm, so as to engage the eccentric or cam surface 27 of the stop '25. 7

The parts are so positioned that the stop member 25, which is mounted on a rear leg of the stool B and has its peripheral or active cam edge 27 rising to a greater height than the neighboring hinge structure, will gravitate toward the front of the stool until arrested by the lug 28. In such position itis in the path of the part 30 of the stop 29 when the board 10 is. moved from the chair-back position toward the tabletop position. Since the stop member s free to yield to the moving stop 29, it is pushed out of the Way and correspondingly raised about the pivotof the stop member 25, and then on escaping from thestop 29 the pivot stop member 25 drops. That portion of the stop member 25 first engaged by the stop 29 corresponds to the shorter radius of the eccentric or cam portion 27 thereof, sorthat when thestop member 25 1 escapes and gravitates toward its first position the eccentric portion or cam face 27 ultimately engages the stop 29 and cramps thereagainst, the buffers 28 having in the meantime' come in contactwith the arm 5, thus arresting the table top in the level positionjassuming that'the stool is resting upon a level support. With the buffers 23 of yielding material, such as rubber, the give of thebuffers is suflicient to permit the member 25 to tightly cramp against the stop member 29 on the neighboring arm 12, thereby avoiding any looseness of the boardv 10 in the table-top position. The table top is therefore firmly secured in the level .position Without the necessity of manipulatingany parts and of further action than that necessary to move the board or table 10 from the chair back position to .the tabletop position. The'locking is entirely automatic. When it is desired to move the board 10 from the table top position to the chair back position it is merely needful to first move the stop or latch member 25 from the cramping position in opposition to its gravitating tendency. This is done without any special effort, since the eccentric relation of the clamping surface 27 causes the stop member 25 to move toward the released position with but slight effort, whereupon the table top may be readily moved to the chair back position.

The location of the hinges forward of the rear legs of the stool part of the chair and to the rear of the mid point of the chair, but closer to the latter than to the rear legs, contributes markedly to the stab- 'ilizing of the chair when used for chair purposes, since the center of gravity of the chair back is low due to the low position of the back with relation to the chair seat, and

' the centralizing of the board 10 and arms 12 withrespect to the Stool produces a corresponding stabilizing of the chair when used for table purposes. This is considered an important feature of the invention, since it has heretofore been found diflicult to avoid a tendency of convertible chairs to tip over backward, especially when used for chair purposes.

Instead of a reversible seat member 7, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the seat support may be permanently secured to the box 2 and the cushion cover 9 may be made fast to the stool part of the chair as by means of gimp 31, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The box rails 2 may be replaced by narrower rails 2 as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, and a cover board 7 may be made permanently fast thereto, this cover board serving as a shelf when the chair is in the table position, and in this case a readily removable cushion 9 may be provided, as indicated in Fig. 8.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A convertible chair comprising a stool part with upstanding legs having arm rests at their upper ends, and rails below the arm rests, a back portion also constituting a table top, said back portion having brackets on opposite sides fast to one faeethereof, hinge connections between the brackets and the rails located nearer to one end of the rails than to the other and also to one side of the mid portion of the brackets, and stop means at a higher point than the hinge connections.

2. A convertible chair having a stool part with upstanding arms, and a chair back constructed to also serve as a table top and hinged or pivoted to the arms at a point intermediate of the distance between the mid-point of the stool part of the chair and therear thereof, but nearer to the midpoint of the stool part, and also intermeeaters diate of the mid-pointof the chair back and a to corresponding end of said chair back but ncarerto the mid-point of the chair back,

whereby, when the chair backis in the table-top position, it iscentered over the stool part and when it is in thecl iair-back positionthe balance of the chair s main. tamed. a l l brackets fast to the chair back midway of the ends thereof, and hinge or plvot strnctures each a connecting a bracket on the chair back and a corresponding one of-uthe I'itllS below the arm; rests of the stool partof the chair, and each located at a point between the rear of the chair andthe mid-point of the stool part ofthe chair and of the brackets, and nearer "to the mid-point of each than to the rear thereof,"whereby, when the chairback is inthetablatopposition, it is centered over the stool part ofthe chair,

and whenit is in the chair-backposltion it fnhas a low center ofgravity and thereby maintains the balance of the chain.

4. it convertiblexchair and table comprising a stool portion with upstanding arms provided with armrests, a chair back wlth isidebrackets having a greater spread than tlltii.

the brackets and the stoolpOrtion of the 15 mounted on one of said elements and enandstraddling the arm rests, a block at the forward end v of each bracket on the inner face thereof, "an elastic buffer on eachblock inposition to engage that end of the armrest remote from the back of the stool portion, pivot connections between chair below the arm rests, and locking means between thestool portlon and the chem back gaging the other and located on the side 1 wedgingor cramping action to lock the "chair back in thetable-top position. a

i 5. A convertible chair comprising a stool part with nprightlegs rising to arm heights, arm rests connecting the front and rear legs on opposite sidesof the stool part, a chairback constructed to form a table top l and havingubrackets on opposite sides fast thereto and spread apart to be locatedontside of and in spacedrelation to the arm rests, hinge members between each bracket toengagethe 'arm restsw'hen the chair back and the corresponding stool part of the chair, below the arm rests "and about which the chair backis movable from chair-back to table-top position or vice versa, stop memhere on the inner faces of the brackets at one side of the pivotfpoints of the latter isUinthetable-top positijomand an auto- =matic locking device located on it the other side of and higher than the hinge connections and including a drop latch for holding the chair back in the table-top position.

6. Aconvertible chair and table comprising a ,stool portion with upstanding arms provided with arm rests, a chair back with 1 side brackets having a greater spread than the arm rests and straddling the latter, the

brackets each having a separate block fast tions between the brackets and chair arms.

7. A convertiblechalr comprising a stool partanda chair back movable from a chairback-position to a table-top position, "arms or brackets on the chair back with a block at the front end of each bracket on the inner face thereof, anlelastic buffer on each block inposition to engage a portion of the stool part of the chair,pivot connections between the brackets and the stool part of the chair, and coacting cramping lock meanson the "stool part andchair back respectively, and located on the side" of the pivot connections remote fromthe elastic buffers and at a higher level than the pivot connections.

8. A. convertiblechaircomprising a stool part with upstanding arms having arm rests, a chair back with side brackets straddling the arm restsypivot connections between the brackets and the arms for permitting movements of the chair back to table-top position, separate blocks fast to of the pivot connections remote from the "elastic buffers, said locking means cooperating with the elastic buffers to exert a the inner faces :of the brackets at the front ends and conforming to the configuration tions to overhang the arm rests when the chair back is in the table-top position, and buffers on the blocks for directly engaging the tops of the arm rests.

9. n; convertible chair having a stool part,

a back portion movable from chair-back to table-topposition and vice versa, brackets onthe chair back at the sides thereof, arms on the stool part straddled by the brackets, hinge structures connecting the brackets and arms, a drop latch on the stool part on one side of the hinge and having a limited drop movement into the path of the bracket, andanengaging stop on the corresponding bracketin position to strike the latchand lift itout of the way when the chair back is moved toward the tabletop position, and the latch having a normal REU Milt

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means for the stool'portion and chair 5 tendency to automatically: drop back toward its first position and lock with the engaging :stopion the bracket.

10. Aconvertible-chair and table comprising'a' stool portion with upstandingarms provided with arm rests, a chair back having side brackets of a greater spr'ead'than'and straddling the I arm rests,- pivot connections 7 between the brackets and the stool portion ofthe chair below the arm rests, stops provided on the front ends of the brackets on theinner face thereof to engage the arm 1 rests at the ends remote ifrom the back of the stool, thereby disposing the stops on one side of the pivotconnections, and lockback mounted on one of said elements to "engage the other, said locking means being located on the other side of pivot connections *from thestops -and having a wedging or cramping action which is-exerted at the terf 'mination of movement of the chair back to #the table-top position, whereby when the chair back is in its last-named position. it isflheld frommovingonthe plvot connec tions by" said stopsand said locking means.

i 11. A combination chair having a stool part and. a chair back portion pivoted to gether, with the chair back movable from chair-back position to table-top position and vice versa, and a latch structure on the stool part of the chair and higher than the level of the pivot connections between the stool and chair back, forengaging the chair back part of the chair and looking it in the table-' wtop position, said chair back having elastically yieldable buffers on the side of the pivot: connections remote from the latch part of-the chair to cause thelatch to 12'. Aconvertible. chair comprising a stool i part a chairback, brackets fast to the chair back, and pivotal. connections between the brackets. and the stool for the movement of thechair backfrom chair-back position to g table-top position and vice versa, the pivotal 1 connection each consisting of a member with a headed stud and anothermember with a receptacle for the headed stud and provided .with 'a side opening leading thereinto, the

firstnamed member being provided with a projection and the second member with a '55." f f thehinge members from becoming separated tooth coacting with the projection to prevent when lifting :the chair'by the brackets or I I Whenconvertingit from "chair to table p0 sition'or vice versa. Y

13. "A'convertible chair comprising a'stool Tpart and 'a'chair back with side-brackets for connection with the stool part, and hinge or} pivotal structures between the brackets and the F stool part, each hinge structure being formed of two parts; one on acting lock parts interacting in either of said positions to prevent the separation of the two members of the hinge, whereby the chair back must be moved to an interme diate position and lifted away from the stool before the members of the hinge may be separated.

14. A convertible chair provided with a stool part and a chair back movable to a table-top position and vice versa, and connecting hinge structures between the chair back and stool part having coacting stop members constructed to engage when the chair back is in the chair back position, to prevent the hinge members from becoming separated when operating the chair back or lifting it by the brackets.

15. A convertible chair having a stool part with upstanding arms, each with a rail intermediate of the height of the arms, and a chair back constructed to also serve as a table top and hinged or pivoted to the rails of the arms at a point intermediate of the distance between the mid-point of the stool part and the rear thereof but nearer to the mid-point of the stool part, and also intermediate of the mid-point of the chair back and corresponding end of said chair back but nearer to the mid-point of the chair back, whereby, when the chair back is in the table-top position it is centered over the stool part and when it is in the chair-back position the balance of the chair is main tained.

16. A' convertible chair comprising a stool part with upright legs rising to arm heights, arm rests connecting the front and rear legs on opposite sides of the stool part, rails connecting the legs below the arm rests, a

chair back constructed to form a table top and having brackets on opposite sides fast thereto and spread apart to be located outside of and in spaced relation to the arm rests, means for pivotally connecting each bracket to a correspondingrail and about which pivotal connection the chair back is movable from chair-back to table-top position or vice versa, stop members on the inner faces of the brackets'at one side of the pivot points 7 of the latter to engage the arm rests when the chair back is in the table-top position, and automatic means located on the other side and higher than the pivot connections for locking the chair back in the table-top position with the stop members on the brackets cramped against the arm rests by the action of said automatic means.

17 A combination chair having a stool part and a chair back portion pivoted together, with-the chair-back movable from 0 chair-hack position to table-top position and vice versa, cramping means at a higher level than the pivot connections between the stool and chair back, and elastically yieldable buflers on the side of the pivot connections remote from the cramping means and movable into engagement with the stool part of the chair and yieldable to cause the chair back to tightly engage the stool part when in the table-top position and thereby prevent lost motion.

18. In a convertible chair, the combination with a stool having an arm rest at the top on each side and a rail at each side below and spaced from the arm rest, a chair back having a pair of brackets spaced apart sufliciently to straddle the stool, means for pivoting each bracket to the corresponding rail with said means located at one side of the midpoint of the length of the rail and of the bracket, said brackets being constructed to overhang at one end the arm rests and there provided with elastic bufi'ers forming stops, and a cramping latch between the bracket portion of the back and the stool to hold the chair back in the table top position with the buffers in firm engagement with the arm rests.

In testimony, that l claim the foregoing as my own, it have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JEROME a. SOUTH.

Witnesses:

J. 13. Down, V. G. BRo'rTnN. 

